OTTAWA - Mika Zibanejad was given a cheer by his teammates as he stepped on the ice Monday a few minutes into practice at Scotiabank Place.

The next one he hears could be Tuesday night from the fans.

The Senators rookie centre was in town visiting his girlfriend for the AHL all-star break when he got the call to show up at the rink for practice with captain Daniel Alfredsson nursing a flu for the second straight day.